Metallurgical

Trends

Metallurgical

Between craftsmanship and technology

Words Alessandra Albarello

27/04/2022

Visible gears and parts. Tactile transformations. Metal that reveals the actions of the past and visions of the future. Amidst craftsmanship and technology.

When the Spanish designer Paco Rabanne first appeared on the fashion scene with his sparkling metallic dresses, Coco Chanel called him – somewhat contemptuously – a “Fashion Metallurgist”, using a term that would remain with him forever and go on to become the standout characteristic of his style. Pop and futuristic dresses, almost like medieval tunics popping up in a 1960s–70s atmosphere with bared seams seemingly forged by artisans, fresh from the workshop and from welding.

Rendering the mechanisms and metal constructive parts visible and transforming them into decorative features has always fascinated eyewear designers. This process is part of the experimentation of new alchemies, of new aesthetic pathways to be travelled. Kuboraum knows something about this. This year, the company celebrates its first ten years, marked by continuous and intensive research that has unfurled along an adventurous journey amidst form, matter and function. And so for Kuboraum, the decontextualised gears now find a new function in the glasses of the Machinery Rimless Series, with each model being foldable in four parts through gears on the temples and on the bridge, as is the case for the Mask H41. The dynamics, the mechanics. The aesthetics. The function. Everything contributes to creating a harmonious whole. In the Mask Z14 (in the opening picture), also by Kuboraum, the rhomboidal shape is enhanced rather by the processing of hand-hammered metal, which evokes a liturgy of craftsmanship, thus highlighting a treasured savoir-faire.

And the act of transformation is certainly common even to artists, fascinated by the unpredictability of the material. By the unrepeatable uniqueness of the end result, stimulated by an extreme creative action. A uniqueness that becomes an absolute emblem of beauty and quality even for eyewear, thanks to asymmetries and imperfections. This is so in the RG1010ZC model by Rigards, in hand-finished titanium, as the result of a partnership between the award-winning brand and the designer Ziggy Chen. The irregular oval rims are internally characterised by a radial knurling pattern in relief whilst other material virtuosities such as subtle twists redefine the lines of the temples, bridge and tenons. Rigards also turns 10 this year, a milestone passed without interrupting the poetic exploration of an aesthetic that never fails to focus on the details.

Kuboraum, Mask H41

Rigards, mod. RG1010ZC

Gio Ponti x Oliver Peoples Takumi, mod. Gio Ponti-2

Hoet Couture, mod. 03

Pugnale, mod. Maverick

Gazusa, mod. Letizia

Alexander McQueen, mod.AM0365S

It is precisely such details that make the difference in architecture and design, delivering immortal icons to history. Amongst these, the recognisable stylistic features of Gio Ponti have been transferred to three eyewear protagonists in the second series of the Oliver Peoples Takumi collection, created in collaboration with the Gio Ponti archive. The titanium models, including the Gio Ponti-2, thus contain precise and unmistakable nods to one of the absolute protagonists of modern design and architecture: the diamond shape of the temple, the angular bridge, the exclusive colours ... But it is above all in the original clip-on lenses that the soul of Gio Ponti is liberated, with soaring lines that suggest lightness and dynamism.

Lightness becomes the essential prerogative also of the four new models of the Hoet Couture line that, thanks to titanium and 3D printing, are expressed with generous volumes and an extreme and dynamic design, as is the case for the 03 model, available both in the spectacles version and in the sunglasses version. An almost industrial charm exposes the natural and pure beauty of the material exalted by a production process that, not so surprisingly today, is also eco-friendly.

The Maverick model from the Nicolò collection by Pugnale is rather a “fusion” of different metals – steel for the front on which texture is traced out, titanium for the temples, and silver for the inserts on the bridge and temples. The decidedly masculine aviator form takes on even more character with these particularly elaborate construction features that combine technology and craftsmanship.

Making virtuous processes visible is exactly what Gazusa also presents. After being drilled, the open lenses of its models are then “sewn” by hand using a range of materials, including 18-carat gold wire for the precious Letizia model of the Luxury collection with 24-carat gold laminated frame. Made-in-Italy tailored glasses handmade in respect of an exclusive technique. The choice of metal for the Alexander McQueen brand is entirely different, embracing the designer’s legacy, continuing in the wake of a romantic-transgressive spirit with a decidedly punk feel. An absolute symbol of this tendency is a small skull added to the AM0365S model, where a thin aerial structure rewrites the aviator form. So that everyone, with their glasses, can be free to communicate their deepest essence. Their own vision. Always and absolutely unique.